Savvy is HQ Trivia + Wordle (feat. Scott Rogowsky) | E2245

Savvy is HQ Trivia + Wordle (feat. Scott Rogowsky) | E2245

Author: Jason Calacanis February 5, 2026 Duration: 53:41

This Week In Startups is made possible by:


Circle - http://Circle.so/twist


Caldera Lab - http://calderalab.com/TWIST


LinkedIn - http://linkedin.com/twist


Today’s show: 


There was a time, not long ago, when offices everywhere came to a standstill, and everyone became even more fixated on their phones than usual, each time HQ Trivia went live. The app-based game show was a massive viral hit… until suddenly, around a year later, it wasn’t.


Now, HQ Trivia host Scott Rogowsky is back with a new concept: Savvy, another game show you play on your phone, this time inspired by the word puzzle hit Wordle. Is lightning about to strike twice? 


PLUS, Alex chats with Trevor Bennett of space transportation outfit Starfish Space. This comes off two major successes for the team: the Remora mission that proved Stafish’s autonomous rendezvous capabilities and the $52.5 Million dollar contract to dispose of low Earth orbit satellites.


Timestamps: 


(00:00) How Scott first got involved with HQ Trivia


(2:23) Why Scott thinks HQ Trivia struck such a chord with fans


(4:12) Scott couldn’t get a job in late night, so he made his own show


(5:31) Delving into the behind-the-scenes tensions at HQ Trivia


(11:07) Circle -  the easiest way to build a home for your community, events, and courses — all under your own brand. TWiST listeners get $1,000 off the Circle Plus Plan by going to http://Circle.so/twist


(13:53) The end of HQ Trivia and why Scott jumped ship


(16:35) Savvy just had its series premiere: you play the game against the host


(20:14) How to play Savvy and win cash


(20:57) Why Jason thinks a subscription model is the future of Savvy


(22:25) Whether you’re starting fresh or upgrading your routine, Caldera Lab makes skincare simple and effective. Head to http://calderalab.com/TWIST and use TWIST at checkout for 20% off your first order.


(23:31) Introducing Dr. Trevor Bennet of Starfish Space


(24:04) What the Otter Spacecraft does: de-orbiting to clean up space


(26:46) Why space will need hundreds of Otters in space


(29:24) LinkedIn Jobs - Hire right, the first time. Post your first job and get $100 off towards your job post at http://linkedin.com/twist Terms and conditions apply.


(30:23) Starfish Space’s business model: operating a starfleet


(33:17) The success of the Remora mission: autonomous rendezvous in space.


(43:47) The rise of the space economy


(48:18) Starfish’s $52.5 Million dollar contract and what it means for the space ecosystem


*


Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/


Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.com


Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp


*


Follow Lon:


X: https://x.com/lons


*


Follow Alex:


X: https://x.com/alex


LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/


*


Follow Jason:


X: https://twitter.com/Jason


LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis/


*


Thank you to our partners:


(11:07) Circle -  the easiest way to build a home for your community, events, and courses — all under your own brand. TWiST listeners get $1,000 off the Circle Plus Plan by going to http://Circle.so/twist


(22:25) Whether you’re starting fresh or upgrading your routine, Caldera Lab makes skincare simple and effective. Head to http://calderalab.com/TWIST) and use TWIST at checkout for 20% off your first order.


(29:24) LinkedIn Jobs - Hire right, the first time. Post your first job and get $100 off towards your job post at http://linkedin.com/twist Terms and conditions apply.


Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.com


Every week, Jason Calacanis dives headfirst into the swirling vortex of Silicon Valley and global tech with This Week in Startups. It’s a direct line to the conversations shaping our digital future, moving far beyond surface-level news. You’ll hear Jason’s unfiltered analysis on everything from market shifts and media trends to the underlying mechanics of building a business, all delivered with a blend of enthusiasm and seasoned skepticism. The core of this podcast, however, lies in the guests. Jason sits down with the very people driving change-founders who have scaled impossible heights, operators managing daily chaos, and investors who spot trends before they become obvious. These conversations are less like formal interviews and more like insider debriefs, pulling back the curtain on real strategies, painful failures, and unexpected successes. For anyone curious about how technology is built, funded, and ultimately changes the world, this series offers a front-row seat. It’s the context behind the headlines, providing a deeper understanding of the forces at play in startups and technology. Tune in for a consistently engaging and insightful look at the ecosystem, straight from someone who lives and breathes it.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

This Week in Startups
Podcast Episodes
What will be OpenAI’s IPO price? Place ya bets! | E2202 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:34
What will be OpenAI’s IPO price? Place ya bets! | EXXX*Polymarket’s sharps are already placing bets on when ChatGPT maker OpenAI will go public… and Jason and Alex want in on this action. They’re placing side wagers on h…
Jason Unpacks Sequoia’s New Funds | E2199 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:45
Today’s show:Australia has accused Microsoft of employing a dark pattern… Hear why Jason says these kinds of sneaky tactics aren’t usually worth it.It’s a brand-new Monday TWiST and it’s PACKED with news. In addition to…
If you’re not working 9-9-6, are you working hard enough? | E2198 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:16
Today’s show:*Working from 9 am to 9 pm, 6 days a week, might seem like TOO INTENSE a commitment for some, but Jason argues that elite performance — and the mega-compensation that goes along with it — sometimes requires…
Magic School uses AI to help kids learn, not cheat | E2196 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:51
Are AI tools in the classroom just time-savers, or can they have genuine educational value?In a must-watch TWiST 500 interview, Alex chats with Magic School founder (and former principal) Adeel Khan about how AI tools ca…
Just how frothy is the AI Bubble anyway? | E2195 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:04
Today’s show: *Is the AI bubble going to POP? And if so, how much of our economy is it going to take down with it?On a new TWiST, Jason, Alex, and Lon debate the size and scale of the AI bubble, whether poppage is immine…